Spring for rocking-chairs or analogous structures.



Patented June 14, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

MARSHAL C. BRUCE, OF DEARBORN, MISSOURI.

SPRING FOR ROCKING-CHAIRS OR ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,381, dated June 14,1904. Application filed December 26, 1903. Serial No. 186,683. (N -l.

To all whom, it Jn'my concern:

Be it known that I, MARsHAL O. BRUCE, a citizenofthe United States,residing at Dearborn, in the county of Platte and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Spring for Rocking-Chairs or AnalogousStructures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring-supported bodiessuch as rocking-chairsand analogous structures, vehicles of various kinds, some forms ofcribs, cradles, and the likeand has for its object to provide animproved spring structureland means for connecting the same,respectiv'ely,=to a base portion and movable body portion, to uniformlydistribute the strains and imposedweight, and to cushion the bodyportion and permit an easy and noiseless rocking or vibratory motionthereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clip orfastening device between the ends ofthe spring and the base and bodyportions and permit a ready attachment and detachment of the parts andinsure a rigid and stable connection between them.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter shown and described, andspecified in the claims.

The improvements herein shown and described may be employed forconnecting two bodies of any desired kindsuch as the stationary base andbody portions of rockingchairs, some forms of cribs, cradles, and thelike, or connecting the body portions with the running-gear of variousforms of vehicles or any structure which requires to be supported forvibration or oscillation; but as the improved device is moreparticularly applicable to connecting the body portions to the baseportions of rocking-chairs it is shown in the drawings thus applied forillustration; but it will be understood that the invention is not to belimited thereto, as the elements therein exhibited may be varied .orchanged as to shape, proportions, and exact manner of assemblage for thepurpose of adapting it to the Various structures to which it isapplicable without departing from the principle thereof or sacrificingany of its advantages.

.In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,inwhich corresponding parts; are denoted by like designating characters,Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a transversesectional elevation, of a portion of a rocking-chair with theimprovements applied. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of thebase portion with the supporting-clip detached. Fig. 4is a perspectiveview of one of the spring-supporting clips detached viewed from the rearside, and Fig. 5 is a similarview viewed from the front side with thecap removed. Fig. 6 is a transverse section, enlarged, on the line 6 6of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 isa perspective view of the keeper-cap detached andreversed. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the butt-end of one of thecushion-springs.

The base portion is represented as a whole at 10 and embraces in itsstructure spaced side members 11 12 and transverse connecting members 13and may be of any desired size or material or fanciful design.

The body portion is represented as a whole at 14 and embraces in itsstructure spaced side members 15 16 and may also be of any desired sizeor form or fanciful design.

' In each of the side members of both the base and body portions,preferably within their inner faces, are formed recesses, one of whichis shown at 17 in Fig. 3, with their side walls converging downwardly,and embedded in these recesses are correspondinglyformed projections 18upon clips 19, the latter each having a socket formed by spaced ribs 20,as shown. The clips 19 have perforated lateral ears 21, through whichthe holding-screws are inserted into the wooden side members, andsimilar screws are inserted through the extending ends of theprojections 18, as shown. By this means the socketed clips are veryfirmly secured in the side members and the downward thrust borneentirely by the inclined sides of the recesses and the holding-screwsthereby relieved from transverse strains.

The cushion-springs are represented at 22 bent into spiral form, withthe ends 23 24 enlarged and rectangular in cross-section and conformingto the cavities or sockets formed between the spaced ribs and into whichthey fit, as shown. Each of the clips is provided with a cap 25, formingclosures to the sockets and holding the spring ends in place therein.The caps are secured by holdingscrews 26, which pass through the ribs 20and into the wooden side members, as shown, thus materially increasingthe strength of the connection between the clips and their attachmentsand the side bars. The spring ends are provided with spaced transverserecesses 27, and the inner faces of the caps 25 are provided withcorresponding transverse ribs 28 to engage the recesses, and thusefl'ectually prevent longitudinal movement of the spring ends when thecaps are secured in position. By providing a plurality of the recesses,as shown, it is obvious the springs may be adjusted in the socketedclips by merely loosening the cap-holding screws 26 and moving thesprings to any required set of the recesses and then retightening theholding-screws and without disturbing the clips or other parts.

It will be obvious by this arrangement of parts that a very simple,strong, and compact device of the character described is produced andwhereby the body portion is firmly sup ported from lateral movementwhile free tomove vertically and rock forwardly and backwardly whenpressure is applied, as in the rocking action of the occupant of thechair.

The results are substantially the same when the improved device isapplied to vehicles of various kinds, and wherever employed and forwhatever purpose the cushion-springs will be very strongly supported andsustained from allmovement of its clip-held ends, and a structure thusequipped will withstand very severe strains and long and hard usagewithout deterioration or the parts becoming loosened or broken. At thesame time in event of the breakage or wearing of any of the parts theycan be very easily replaced or renewed without detriment to the otherparts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is-- l. Thecombination with a base and a supported member, of a spiralsupporting-spring having enlarged reinforced ends provided with verticalgrooves in the edges thereof, supporting-clips for said enlarged ends,and clip-plates having ribs to engage the grooves in the same.

2. The combination with a base and a supported member, of a spiralsupporting-spring having enlarged reinforced ends provided with groovesin their outer edges, supporting-clips having flanges for the receptionbetween them of the enlarged ends of the spring, cap-pieces having ribsengaging the grooves in the ends of the spring, and securing means forsaid cappieces, said securing means extending through the flanged clipsinto the body of the base and that of the supported member,respectively.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARSHAL G. BRUCE. Witnesses:

MELVIN L. DIX, J. W. Gms'r.

